RANFURLY SHIELD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 160, 24 July 1937, Page 17

RANFURLY SHIELD

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FIRST CHALLENGE MADE SOUTHLAND THE SEEKERS ' OTAGO'S RECORD OF LAST YEAR

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The first challenge match for , the Ranfurly Shield this year will be played on Saturday, July 31» when Southland will meet the holders, Otago, at Carisbrook, Dunedin. Southland and Otago always put plarty of enthusiasm into the two matches they play, home and home, gach year, and the presence of the Ranfurly Shield in Otago during the past two occasions, has lent increasing mterest to the matches in which Southland has been the challenging force. It is worthy of note that Otago as holders of the shield last year, successfully staved off eight challenges at Carisbrook and only lost one match during the season. That happened to be against its old rival, Southland, and w?.s played at Invercargill.

Team work . was Otago 's great strength last year rather than individua'l brilliance. In fact the side was not overrepresented to- the Dominion team, though it did well in the South Island side. J. M. Watt (winger) was the only Otago player iir the first test against the Australians last year. Otago added another player, C. G. Gillies (five-eighth) in the second test. Sucb meagre representation from the obviously strongest side in New Zealand gave rise to a great deal of criticism. That criticism has had a little to do with the fact that quite a number of Otago players are well in the_ running for All Black honours against the Springboks in the Dominion this year. If A. Simon (Otago half -back) gets the New Zealand base of the scrum position it is on the cards that D. Trevathan will be first flveeightiiSv It loioks as though. J. Taylor (Otago) will be full-back and at least two Otago forwards are tipped for the scrum. So,- on those observations it looks as though Otago is to have another good team this year. The forwards of this union were lighter, but more mobile and more easily moulded into a team than the average. Last year's Otago record . was as f ollo ws : — v. Southland (Shield) won, 16 to 3. V. Auckland (Shield), won, 14 to 5. v. Manawatu (Shield) won, 11 to 5. v. Southland (non-Shield) , lost, 6 to 9. v. South .Canterbury (Shield), won, 26 to 3. v. Canterbury (Shield), won 16 to 0. v. North Auckland (Shield), won, 30 to 0. v. Wellington (Shield), won, 16 to 3. v. West Coast (Shield), won 30 to 0. Played, 9; won, 8; lost, 1; points for, 165; against, 28. Shield matches listed for this year are: — July 31, v. Southland. September 4, v. Buller (tentative). September 18, v. Marlborough. September 25, v. Hawke's Bay. Otago has a tour on hand this year and travels to Hawke's Bay in the Nbrth Island, playing matches en 5 route, and then returns to play the Springboks before facing the chal- ; lenges for the Shield from Marlborough and Hawke's Bay, tively.Fo'llowing is the Ranfurly Shield record, showing the Unions which held the trophy and the number of challenges withstood during the periods of holding: —

Victorles in Ranfurly Shield matches to date have resulted as under: , Hawke's 'Bay 28 Wellington 26 Auckland 26 Canterbury 23 Wairarapa 11 btago 9 Taranaki 7 Southland ...... 6 Manawhenua 3 Disallowed 1 Total 140

Challenges Year. Union. withstood 1902 Auckland - — 1904-5 Wellington 4 1905-13 Auckland 23 1913-14 Taranaki 6 1914-20 Wellington 15 1920-21 Southland 1 1921-22 Wellington 2 1922-27 Hawke's Bay 24 1927 Wairar&pa 1 1927 . Hawke's Bay * 1927 Manawhenua 2 1927-28 Canterbury 1 1928-29 Wairarapa 8 1929-30 Southland 3 1930-31 Wellington 1 1931-34 Canterbury 15 1934 Hawke's Bay 2 1934-35 Auckland 1 1935 Canterbury 4 1935-37 Otago 8 •Win Disallowed.